CROSS-COUNTRY:

Cologna wins Stage 6, Harvey pulls to 7th overall

Jan. 1, 2011 — Cross Country Canada 

TOBLACH, Italy — Canada’s Alex Harvey took his turn to charge for the podium by finishing in fifth spot in the sixth stage of the eight-race Tour de Ski in Toblach, Italy on Thursday.

Feeding off the momentum generated by Devon Kershaw’s historic World Cup victory in Wednesday’s skate-sprint and three podium finishes in the last week, the 22-year-old Harvey was focused on getting his turn on the podium by hunting down the leaders in a unique 35-kilomtre skate-ski race from Cortina to Toblach, Italy, highlighted by a steady climb followed by a gradual descent. Harvey, of St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., finished the handicap start with a time of 1 hour, 21 minutes, 48.1 seconds (1:21:48.1).

“That was a good day for me. I felt really good and my goal was to move up the standings a bit,” said Harvey. “I started on my own and worked together with (Petter) Northug as much as I could. I didn’t want to get dropped on the climb and we worked well together in the group.”

With tour leader Dario Cologna serving as the rabbit, Harvey wasted no time in forming a chase group of five athletes near the midway point of the race. Taking turns at hunting down the leaders, the determined group caught up to Kershaw at the 21-kilometre , where a pack of 10 was formed for the final charge to the finish. Losing time on the leaders in the final two kilometres, the group gained speed down the finish stretch, where Harvey crossed the line in fifth spot.

“Yes I was motivated by watching Devon yesterday,” said Harvey from the team bus, which was travelling to Val di Fiemme for the final two races. “We saw Devon win a race and have three podiums. We know it is possible. Today I was right there myself and I know I can get on the podium too.”

One day removed from his thrilling win, Kershaw chipped away at the gap between himself and leader Cologna while skiing alone for the first six-kilometres of the race. With the chase group closing in, Kershaw was content settling in with the pack and chalked up another solid 10th-place finish. The two-time Olympian from Sudbury, Ont., clocked a time of 1:21:53.5. Ivan Babikov, of Canmore, Alta., had his best race of the tour, finishing 25th at 1:24:56.0

Cologna maintained his overall tour lead after winning the sixth stage with a time of 1:20:06.9. Sweden’s Marcus Hellener finished second at 1:21:13.2, while Norway’s Petter Northug rounded out the podium in the bronze-medal position with a time of 1:21:46.8.

Canada’s Harvey and Kershaw are well-positioned in the overall standings heading into the final weekend of the grueling 10-day Tour de Ski, which has the top cross-country ski athletes in the world competing in eight races at five venues in Germany and Italy. With a 20-kilometre classic ski race, followed by a punishing 10-kilometre climb up Alpe Cermis to mark the final stage, Harvey sits in seventh spot overall, while Kershaw is 11th.

“That was a strong day for Alex and Devon,” said Justin Wadsworth, head coach, Canadian Cross-Country Ski Team, who added that both athletes have gas left in the tank and are anxious for Saturday’s race. “Devon had to ski on his own for a big part of the race so you just don’t want to blow up out there. They will be looking to put it all out there on Saturday and are in a good place.”

The top skiers in the world will have a rest day on Friday. S-Magazine

Tour de Ski Stage 6 results

Top-5 Men and Canadian Results:
1. Dario Cologna, SUI, 1:20:06.9; 2. Marcus Hellner, SWE, 1:21:13.2; 3. Petter Northug Jr., NOR, 1:21:46.8; 4. Martin Jaks, CZE, 1:21:47.6; 5. Alex Harvey, St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., CAN, 1:21:48.1

Other Canadian Results:
10. Devon Kershaw, Sudbury, Ont., 1:21:53.5; 25. Ivan Babikov, Canmore, Alta., 1:24.560